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To buy the right home

Planning to buy your first home? Since we know this might be a difficult, long process and a big step to take in life, in Banksmortage.org we help you make the right decision. Below you will find some good advice to take into account if you are a bit confused and insecure about all the procedures and phases that buying involves.

First of all, we totally recommend writing a checklist with all the steps we and the real estate agent in charge of our case have to take. Serve as an example the next one:

To visit the house(s).

To put an offer.

Owner accepts the offer.

The property is taken off the market.

To get a mortgage lender.

To arrange a date for the meeting with the solicitors to take place.

To collect and organise funds for the deposit, the mortgage and the bills.

To get a home insurance.

To arrange a date to sign the contracts and pick up the keys.

We have to be clear with what we search and what we want. If we do not know exactly what we are looking for, no one else will. So we have to take our time, before it gets started, to find out how our dream home must look like. If we are a buying with someone else, we should discuss our feelings with him or her.

In the following paragraphs we are going to revise step by step the whole process of buying so that we understand what we have to do and we bear in mind some helpful guidance.

Finding and viewing properties

Estate agents as well as the internet are key to start our search. When we arrange the dates to visit the properties we have selected, we should keep in mind that the sooner we view them, the better, as we could lose them out. Also, it will be convenient to check if everything is alright in the property or whether there is something to repair or not. Sometimes, new carpets or bathrooms are signs of superficial renovation which can be concealing some serious defects which we will have to repair.

To put in an offer

We recommend not making an offer if we are not sure it’s our ideal home. When we convinced we have found it, if we calculate the price is fair, we should consider offering the full asking price to avoid people stepping or gazumping us. Once the offer is accepted, the property must be taken off the market and all the adverts must be removed.

Final steps

The next steps will be to get a mortgage adapted to our needs and check the savings we have to consider which kind of mortgage we are going to ask for. Also, we must not forget to get a home insurance. Once all this is sorted out, we will be able to sign the contracts required with the solicitors and have our home.